By Mike Damour - Cowichan News Leader and Pictorial

Published: May 30, 2009 2:00 PM

Sue Hughes wants to set the record straight.

Yes, her business, Coastal Animal Services, euthanizes cats in a gas box.

But, in stark contrast to claims made on an online petition to stop the practice, the method is humane and not used anywhere near as much as what’s claimed, said Hughes, who added she doesn’t know why her business is being targeted and has already been the subject of many news reports.

“I don’t really know how all this started, but I do know the people who started the online petition are from Vancouver and they want us to stop using our carbon dioxide gas chamber.”

The online petition sports a demand Coastal cease gassing cats to euthanize them.

But Hughes said gassing is the best method they have right now.

“In trying to find the best method to euthanize cats, no method is perfect,” she said.

“When we first took over the pound contract, we did look into the methods because we wanted to make sure we did the best we can with what we had and do the best for the animals.”

Hughes said for a house pet, lethal injection is probably the best way.

“Unfortunately, the majority of the cats we euthanize are not domesticated, they’re wild, feral, cats,” she said.

“So to handle them is a whole different thing — you don’t touch these animals because they can shred your arms.”

When the wild cats are euthanized, they are put in a box and the box is filled with carbon dioxide.

Humans exposed to lethal amounts of carbon dioxide suffer disorientation, panic, hyperventilation, convulsions, unconsciousness, and eventually death.

Audrey Hill — who is promoting the online petition — said she was a volunteer shelter manager for Nanaimo SPCA from 1986 to 1994 and admits she killed many cats and kittens using a gas box.

“Most staff and volunteers did not stay in the room to watch the effect on the cats we were putting down,” she said from her home on the mainland.

“When we did decide to watch how cats and kittens died we were appalled.”

But Hughes argues gassing the cats is quick and involves less handling of the cats, which “as far as we’re concerned is less stress on the cat and the least dangerous route for the staff.

“From all that I’ve read about it, I do feel it’s humane,” she said.

Hughes said the method is an acceptable method of euthanasia, according to the American Veterinary Association and the Canadian Veterinary Association.

“Those associations approve it and if they didn’t, we wouldn’t be using it,” she said.

Hughes also takes umbrage when she hears those who want her to stop gassing felines claim Coastal kills 1,500 cats and kittens every year.

“I really would like to know who said we euthanize 1,500 cats because that’s a grossly over-inflated amount,” she said.

“We euthanized seven stray cats from Duncan last year — one was an adult and we had a litter of feral kittens — and last year in North Cowichan we took in 98 stray cats and we euthanized 66 of those.”

Hughes said if anyone should take the blame for the controlled deaths of the valley’s feral felines, it’s not her.

“It’s the irresponsible pet owners out there who get tired of their animals and just dump them somewhere away from their homes,” she said.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_central/cowichannewsleader/news/46499912.html